I live about a block from a Williams Sonoma store. I often pop in while walking to the grocery store or shopping at the stores nearby to see what they have that is new or sampling. I rarely buy anything there since it is very expensive and seems to be catering to those “Semi-Homemade” type homemakers (exceptions include: Fiona’s Sweet Shoppe candies & Peppermint Bark). Around the holidays they were sampling their Handcrafted Toffee which tasted absolutely amazing but at over $30 a tin, I couldn’t justify taking it home. I kept making laps around the store and sneaking more samples while my fiancé swapped our Sodastream CO2 canister.
When we got home we were determined to satisfy our toffee craving. Toffee always seemed so daunting and complicated to make, but it’s actually pretty easy if you have patience and a candy thermometer. The best thing about making toffee yourself is that you can control what goes in it and customize it in a variety of ways. The caramel-y toffee layer only has butter, sugar, water, and a dash of salt. The top is whatever percentage chocolate you desire sprinkled with toppings of your choice. I used a darker chocolate (70% Trader Joe’s Pound Plus) because it offsets the sweetness of the toffee, but you can use a lighter, semi-sweet chocolate. I wouldn’t go lower than 54%.
This was also my handmade gift for the holidays. We made two batches and were able to customize it based on the audience. Chopped pistachios were the “traditional” recipe; for my more adventurous friends I mixed crystallized ginger, pistachios, and cashews. The toffee tastes better the next day when the moisture from the top layer has had time to soften up the sugar layer. I opted to break the pieces by hand and package them up into little bags since I liked the homemade look, but portion-ing out into a mini square pan would look more professional. Plus, with the shard style there are always little pieces left over you can sprinkle into your morning coffee.
Pistachio Dark Chocolate Toffee Recipe
By Published: January 10, 2014
- Yield: 1 9x13 pan of toffee (8-10 Servings)
- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 25 mins
- Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
Watch the pot! The sugar layer lingers in the 200s for a while, but can quickly become burnt. Patience & some whisking muscles are your friends.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ cup water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces chocolate chips 1 cup
- 1 cup toppings chopped nuts, ginger, candies, etc
Instructions
- In a saucepan, combine butter, sugar, water, and salt. Whisk constantly until it reaches 300°F. Also known as the "hard-crack" stage, the color should be a medium caramel brown. Pour immediately in an ungreased 9"x13" pan (keep near the stove so that it is close when it is time to transfer the sugar mixture).
- While the sugar layer cools, melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Once the chocolate is smooth and shiny, pour over the now-cooled sugar, using an offset spatula to distribute evenly.
- While the chocolate is still melted, sprinkle with 1 cup of prepared toppings. Use the bottom of a glass or bowl to gently press the toppings into the chocolate. Optional: drizzle with melted chocolate to help toppings stay adhered.
- Let toffee stand 2-3 hours at room temperature or chill 30 minutes until firm.
- Using a knife, break into bite-size pieces. Package in small bags or a tin.
- Cuisine: Hapa
I love the topping ideas! Ginger, cashews, and pistachios? I don’t know if I’d have the willpower to give that away!
Actually, I’d have to deliver them ASAP, to get them out of the house, lol. I’m not a big sweets person, but toffee has that salty-sweet balance that is so crave-able!